Home for the Night
by PrincessDushku
Summary: Chapter 4 After the fight at the docks in Consequences, Faith walks Buffy home.
1. Faith Falling Crates

"…But I think maroon is a perfectly acceptable colour! Besides it's not like everyone has her complexion! Say, people with lighter tones might be swamped by, you know, the lack of reds, it might… um… make them look, say, non-reddish, non-alive and I think there's really-"

I'm guessing here but we've been walking for about twelve, maybe thirteen, minutes and she started talking after we got onto the main road which means… about eleven minutes of talking? Ten at best?

"…So _of course_ I'm going to help her cos, - hello! - Best friend! But really, I don't have a clue what to say! I know, I know, she's my best friend… It's so awkward though… how do I tell her the truth? Do I rip the band-aid off or sugarcoat it? Sugary stuff is good right? Everyone loves the sugar… But then again, band-aid rippage is of the plus, that's what everyone says, right? I don't… I don't get it though, cos it hurts. But is short big pain better than-"

It's not like she even has anything to say. Actually, fair dues to the girl, I probably couldn't keep up a mindless, one-sided conversation for two minutes let alone ten!

"… Which I'm totally _not_! I don't get it- I'm not freakish. I'm not. Seriously. It's not like I've got horns, or- or- a tail! God, I do _not_ need that in my life! Do you think my mom would notice? Parents can be pretty blind right? But that's only the 'blind when they want to be' kind cos, my mom? Font of all Buffy knowledge. Nothing gets by her. Sure, when I was hiding the slayage she kind of possibly thought I was some teenage, drug dealing, mafia boss who liked to burn down school gyms- which, by the way, was-"

I thought it was kind of sweet when she started up- just trying to fill the awkward silence, ya know? And I'm not gonna complain about gettin' to watch her babble on with that cute little look on her face. She's tryin' so hard I kinda feel bad for her… but ten minutes is just…

"You ever try just listening to silence, B?"

Well that stopped her… 'Cept now she just looks like someone kicked her puppy. Ok, not 'someone'- me. Great, now she's gonna pout and flounce off. God, she's so fucking-

"I didn't- I was just-"

Ok, take that back. The girl's tryin'. She just doesn't like quiet. It's probably one of those things you get accustomed to and she's never… alone… or somethin'.

She's biting her lip like she's gonna cry, checking round for her best escape route. Go on, Faith. Make the poor kid feel better- that's a joke actually, that 'kid' is about a year and a half older than me…

"Tryin' ta fill the silence. I get it."

"Yeah." She sighs and attempts to pull all the loose hair off her face.

"Sometimes silence is nice, ya know, soothing." What the hell?! 'Soothing'?! Good one, Faith. Bonus points for being an ass.

"Right." Ah well, she liked it. She flashes me that little, half-smile thing she does. "Sorry." Aw, sweet!

"I's ok." So, back to silent walking. I do actually quite like quiet, volume on full or just plain off. I'm an all or nothing kinda girl, I guess. When I was little my mom used to tape over the volume control on our old radio. I s'pose she got a little sick of being woken at six in the morning by Ella Fitzgerald and saxophones on full.

"Mm-!" Oh shit! B! I totally forgot about that stupid crate. She's leanin' against this lamppost, holdin' her side. Faith, you spaz! You should have checked her out before we went anywhere… huh, checkin' B out…

"Uh. Faith?" Oh right, stop laughing you dumb fuck and help the poor girl!

She takes this sharp little breath as I lift her top and, man, I'm not surprised- that is going to be one wicked bruise by tomorrow. All purple and shit thanks to slayer healing. "Sorry." And I am, she may be a bit of a stuck-up, goody-two-shoes sometimes but I'd kill anything that tried to hurt her (and I do… just give me some time on the Angel guy).

"Me too," Huh? "About… earlier. I slapped you, remember? And… um… the Angel and the bat thing." She's wincing as she traces my face with her eyes. I haven't been near a mirror yet but by the throbbing and slight wet feeling I'm guessing huge bruise and split skin… what kind of bad-ass vampire keeps a baseball bat to hand? Seriously now; Respect. Angel. Never to be used in same sentence.

"I's ok. I was kinda… um… not being totally… uh… not thinking straight… at the time." (…Or ever. I'm as straight as straight as a straight thing… bent in half! Geez, I crack myself up sometimes! Ok, not so much) Shit! She is gonna _KILL_ me when she sees Xander.

"I know." Or not. (Am I really the crazy one here?) She's giving me a funny look, kinda cute. "So… Xander…?!" She giggles at my look. Yeah, I look stupid when I wrinkle my nose- not even I can be hot 100 of the time! I try to keep it an even 99. For… karma purposes. Obviously.

"So I wasn't thinking! How was I supposed to know he hadn't popped his cherry?!" (Ok, he told me. But I was horny! And he has a heartbeat. So I'm one up on Blondie!) She laughs some more.

"Whatever you say."

"Hey! Heat of the moment! H and H- we weren't near food so…" A good nudge and wink is all it takes to distract her long enough to pick her up.

"He- what! What are you-?" If she struggles anymore I might have to just drop her.

"B! Twist like that once more and you can have a concussion to add to that beautiful array of bruises around your middle!" She settles down and wraps her arms around my neck. That coat may be butt-ugly but it's damn soft. She pouts a bit and puts her head on my shoulder. She's so light… I should get her to eat more…

"Why are you doing this?" Because I'm trying as hard as I can to think about anything other than the last 48 hours and having you this close to me usually causes my brain to shut-down.

"'Cos you pretending not to be in pain is pissing me off. 'Sides, if I don't I'll never get home!" She laughs then winces.

"Stop making with the funny. Hurts" She really is adorable sometimes.

"Sorry Princess, I'll be extra depressing just for you…" dramatic pause, "So, what do you think of this 'death-guarenteed-before-you're-20' slayer gig?" She raises her head to glare at me and smack my shoulder.

"Do you mind?! This is Miss. Older-Slayer-less-that-two-years-left, you're talking to!" She narrows her eyes. "Besides, you'll probably party yourself to death before then!"

"Aw, do you really think so? You're so sweet!" She smiles and snuggles closer to me again before popping her head back up.

"My house!" She jumps down, winces and grabs the tree to steady herself.

"Yep, genius, this is your home. You live here with your mother, name of Joyce. You're Buffy, it's 1999 and… I'm now going this way" Man I have a smart mouth, some times I don't even have to think, just let it run… "Anything else?" I know she's got her tongue pointed at me even if I'm walking away. It's a shame we got here, I was enjoying stealing free cuddles. Yes I like it! Who doesn't?!

"Yes actually." What? Oh right, 'anything else'. Stupid question. She probably wants me to go see Giles. Confess for real this time. How, about, **no**?

"Look, B, I d-"

"Stay with me."… Well that was a bit… "Stay here with me. For tonight or… longer…" She smiles nervously at me but to be honest I'm a little too shocked to be thinkin' about how damn lovable she is.

"What about your-"

"Mom? Gee, mom **loves** you! I don't know what you did to her at Christmas but she just adores you!" Ha, 'did to her'…

"Well, I _could_ tell you…" A wiggle of my eyebrows and my best leer…

"Ew! Gross Faith!" Score! That's Buffy Blush no.6™! And yes, I do have a chart. Once got up to 9… Don't think anyone's ever got temporary blindness from the sight of my naked breasts before. Kinda flattering. "Get in the house before you scare some small children." At one in the morning? Sure, B, sure. "Oh shut up. I _know_ there aren't any around!" She tries to keep the angry look but a little giggle escapes. "If you come in now I'll heat you up some of mom's apple pie."

"How could a girl refuse that offer (?!)" No seriously. I haven't eaten in three days.

"I've still got some of your clothes here… I, um, picked them up while you were uh… chained up… at Angel's." Oh yeah. Hey, that's a point…

"Buffy…?"

"Don't even ask, don't even _think_, it **never** happened!" She smiles and shoves me into the house, rolling her eyes.


	2. Buffy Falling Crates

I swear, if Faith doesn't say something soon I'm going to die.

We walked out of the docks in total silence then I made some stupid comment about the state of the roads and she didn't reply so I had to keep talking to fill the space so it wouldn't seem like I'd expected her to say something back and then I realised that I'd sort of got to the point of no return- where stopping would have been worse than just ploughing on. Sort of regretting that decision now…

I don't even know what I'm saying. Just sort of letting my mouth go. I've probably already spilled out the biggest secrets of everyone I know. Thank god she's not actually listening. She looks like she's trying not to think actually…

"You ever try just listening to silence, B?" Ok, ouch! That's a little mean.

She's stopped walking and is just standing there in the road staring at me. I'm only trying to help for god sake! "I didn't- I was just-" Oh yeah, well done Buffy! Biting comeback there!

Oh god, there's a lump in my throat… I swear, if I cry in front of Faith I _will_ have to kill myself. Right here on this… Where the hell are we anyway?! Old roads, burnt-out cars, dirt a couple of inches thick, cop sirens and… I think I just saw a rat… must be a part of town Faith knows seeing as she's practically leading the way.

God my body hurts. Stupid big crate! Aw, look… guilty Faith!

"Tryin' to fill the silence. I get it." Whoa, was that actually a _genuine_ smile I just saw?! I could be seeing things through this stupid hair though… evil should find a way to get it's butt kicked and _not_ mess my hair…

"Yeah…" You're an idiot, Buffy Summers, practically certifiable.

"Sometimes silence is nice, ya know." Ok, she _likes_ quiet. Sort of takes the sting out of earlier. She thinks for a beat. "Soothing."

I love when she's like this, sweet and honest. She's so lovely really she just doesn't want anyone to know. Makes me feel kind of special that she lets me. "Right. Sorry." Oh god, am I giving her my 'crush smile'? I'm giving her my 'crush smile'! Ooh… but how could you not…? She gives me her little 'grin and shrug' thing (is that like my 'crush smile'? _please_ say that's like my 'crush smile') and walks off. I love the way she swaggers, people just automatically get out of the way. And she looks sexy… oh wait, did she just say something? Am I meant to be walking? I- OH CRAP!

"Mm-!" OW! OW! OW!

Ok, that hurts like _HELL_! Lets not try walking again… _ever_! Although, points to me on the not screaming.

Is Faith laughing at me? She seemed pretty worried about me a second ago and now she's chuckling and…. Checking me out?! _Now_?! "Uh. Faith?" Jesus Christ! She stares at me all the damn time! – Not that I don't, it's kind of a two-way thing… but why does she have to take up valuable 'helping-the-girl-in-pain' time with it?! She could just as well- OH MY GOD! Faith hands! Faith hands! Her hands are under my top! Well… one is… the other is holding up my top but-

"Sorry." Huh? For…? Oh, right. She thought the gasp was a 'pain' gasp and not the 'oh-my-god-the-hottest-girl-I've-ever-met-has-her-hands-up-my-top' kind. Sweet of her to say it though.

Especially seeing as it's kind of my fault she's got that huge bruise on her face. Ok, now _I_ feel guilty. Particularly as she's checking over my bruise. "Me too. About… earlier. I slapped you, remember? And… um… the Angel and bat thing." I've got this crazy torn feeling right now… Smack Angel for hurting her or thank him for finally getting through to her? Cause I'm pretty sure it's because of him she's suddenly acting all sane-o girl again.

How do you thank a vampire anyway? 'Hey Angel, here's some chocolate you can't taste and some flowers to remind you that you can't go out in daylight and smell fresh ones.' Maybe blood? I don't think they make a Hallmark card to go with that one; _'Thanks for helping the crazy slayer!'_? _'A special pint of blood for a special dead guy!'_? Maybe not…

"I's ok. I was kinda… um… not being totally… uh…" Aw, I'm sorry, there I was daydreaming (or 'nightdreaming' uh… 'night-still-awake-dreaming') and you were trying to explain… something. "Not thinking straight…" So she was thinking gay? Oh god Buffy, shut up! "At the time." Is this about the Xander thing? I can't believe he actually thought they had a 'connection', poor boy. Sort of funny though…

"I know." And I do. Sort of. When you're having a crisis the last thing you want to deal with are teenage boy hormones! Still, what was she doing with him anyway? I mean, he's not exactly her type! "So… Xander…?" She's looking a bit stunned. Oh god, she knows I was teasing, right? Is it too early for teasing? No, no, it's ok. Aw cute! She did this little wrinkle nose/ blush thing. I think she knows I just thought she was cute- she's gone back to her little 'tough girl' stance.

"So I wasn't thinking!" Her smile is just itching to break out. She's leaning her weight from one foot to the other and scuffing her boot on the road. "How was I supposed to know he hadn't popped his cherry?!"

Ok, _now_ I'm laughing. "Whatever you say…" Watching her try and make excuses like a kid who just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar is just _too_ funny!

"Hey! Heat of the moment! H and H- we weren't near food so…" Ah, the old 'hungry and horny' line. She- WOAH! WHAT!?

"He-! What?! What are you-!?" Why am I suddenly without my feet on the ground?! One moment I'm all caught up in her little 'smile and wink' hotness and the next I'm… literally 'caught up'…

"B!" She's holding me really tight now… kinda nice, "Struggle like that once more and you can have a concussion to add to that beautiful array of bruises around your middle!" Ok, ok, jeez… don't yell, my ear is right next to your mouth!

Maybe I'll yell in her ear, see how she likes it; "Why are you doing this?" Or maybe I'll just whisper… this whole physical contact thing is messing with my self-control.

"'Cos you pretending not to be in pain is pissing me off", yeah sure, little-miss-shifty-eyes-awful-liar! "'Sides, if I don't I'll never get home!" She does this funny little eyebrow wiggle as she walks. And- hey!- ow, why does laughing hurt? Who gave it permission to? Oh yeah- Faith!

"Stop making with the funny. Hurts." … And pout… ah ha! Melting Faith eyes! Not actually, obviously, because that would be gross… it's just sometimes, when she looks at me, she stops messing around or playing the bad girl or trying to batter things to death and she's just a normal teenage girl with a crush. That's when she gives me one of her special smiles. No one else gets to see them, just me. I always want to smile back, to tell her that though she may have got the crush first mine is defiantly bigger… but something always happens, always stops me. I guess she just doesn't expect me to respond anymore, she's already turned away, talking about something else.

"…So what do you think of this 'death-guaranteed-before-20' slaying gig?" Oh gee, thanks Faith. Here I am thinking nice thoughts about you and you remind me I'm going to die soon!

I fix her with my best glare, "Do you mind!?" She can be such a pain sometimes! "This is miss 'older-slayer-less-than-two-years-left' you're talking to!" And yes, I do know she's got about five years left. And yes, I do feel kind of perverted finding her so damn attractive. "Besides, you'll probably party yourself to death before then."

Faith gives me one of her patented little 'sarcastically caring' looks "Aw, do you think so? You're so sweet!" Ok, so she can be kind of funny sometimes…. And really snugly! Of course she'd probably beat me to death if I ever said that out loud, crush or not.

"My house!" Wow, that was quick! I guess carrying me really was the best option… and I got all close and personal with Faith's lovely body… which for some reason I am no longer in contact with… Now I just have this silly old tree to hold me up!

"Yep, genius, this is your home." Oh… she's walking away… backwards… I've never seen someone do that as well as she can… odd talent. "You live here with your mother, name of Joyce. You're Buffy, it's 1999 and… I'm now going this way" That was mean! "Anything else?" Hey wait a second! Now she's walking away and I'm just standing here with my tongue out!?

Would squealing be wrong? "Yes! Actually." I do want something else. A lot of things. But mainly you.

She looks a little bit like a deer in the headlights… I didn't say that last bit out loud did I? "Look, B, I d-"

"Stay with me!" Now she just looks surprised and a little… disbelieving? "Stay here with me. For tonight… or longer… Please, please, please. Don't get scared. Just say yes.

"What about your-"

"Mom?" I think my mom would actually like to make a shrine to Faith. She talks about her more than I do which is just _weird_. "Jeez, mom _loves_ you! I don't know what you did to her at Christmas but she just adores you!" Maybe she'd even like to put in for a slayer transfer? I guess she'll just have to settle for both of us!

"Well I could tell you…" What is she-!?

"EW! Gross Faith!" Trust her. That girl could find innuendo at a children's teat party… and that is a very weird thought. Plus that wasn't really a very hard one to read into… but still! "Get in the house before you scare some small children." She gives me a total 'what small children, you crazy fool!?' look. "Oh shut up!" She's such a wiseass sometimes. Right. Last resort; "If you come in now I'll heat you up some of mom's apple pie." The biggest grin I have ever seen is currently spreading itself across Faith's face.

Half-grin, look at her through lowered lashes… do I over-think my flirting? "How could a girl refuse that offer?" That's a no then. You know, she thinks I don't realise but most of her food intake comes off my plate; mom tries to have her round for dinner once a week and then plies her with any 'leftovers-we'll-never-manage-to-eat' (which is of course intended seeing as my mom has started cooking for three again), she always manages to show up at the library just in time for lunch (which she then steals from people while they're not looking- especially me!) and if I'm ever snacking on something she'll stare at it pitifully until I give her half.

"I've still got some of your clothes here. I, um, picked them up while you were, uh… chained up… at Angel's" I wanted to show her we cared but from the devilish look on her face that's not what she's thinking right now…

"Buffy…?" She pulls my name out, practically running it round her mouth and putting a question mark into every single syllable. Damn, that's hot… Wait a minute! Is she thinking…?

Chains.

Angel.

Me?

"Don't even ask. Don't even think. It **never** happened!" I've got to get her inside before I have to smack her… or kiss her… you know, whichever.


	3. Dawn Late Night Phone Calls

Buffy Ann Summers is a big stinking poop! And she's not even a real blonde! And she kissed our fake-cousin Larry! And… and… she's a rubbish big sister!

What's the point of having a slayer for a big sister if she tells you about all the big scary things that go bump in the night, lets you get kidnapped so you get nightmares and then isn't even here when you do and you wake up and… maybe want a big-sister-hug? Or… maybe you want to climb into bed with your big slayer sister so that you don't have to be all alone in your big empty room with possibly something under the bed and your mom has to go to work in the morning so you can't wake her.

So. Buffy Summers is a furry butt stinker. Fact.

I bet if Faith had a little sister she would never have left Boston, she would have stayed and been there in the night when her little sister woke up all teary eyed and with a little bit of dribble on the- well, that's not important… hey! I bet Faith's little sister wouldn't even _have_ scary nightmares because Faith's the best slayer EVER and _her_ little sister wouldn't have been kidnapped.

Stupid Buffy.

Which is sort of why I'm sitting on the stairs in the middle of the night. I was going to go get some milk out of the fridge and maybe heat it up (even though only little kids like warm milk but I drink it to calm my stomach like Mom does) but then when I put my foot down off the bottom step it touched… something!

Ok, so maybe it was a fur ball or fluff or a rat or a tiny hamster demon or shape-shifting demon that looks all cute and furry but when you touch it it's teeth grow and it bites your head off or-!

Oh hell.

It's so cold down here.

Stupid Buffy Summers. Stupid Demons. Stupid Vampires. I hate my stupid life.

I'm just going to sit here.

Forever.

Maybe.

Or at least until Buffy gets back. She's so nice sometimes. Last week when there were all these evil little women running round, The Sisterhood of the… Jah… Hah… Wah… Srah… Jah-jah? Uh… anyway, one of them was one the road outside our house. She was slinking round and I was coming back across the road from Janice's house. I guess I must have been kind of loud cos she-

Oh! Hey… voices… there are voices outside the door.

Huh, kinda mumbled. I bet if I just leaned…

Mumble, mumble, mumble… _Deep_ mumble, mumble, mumble (that must be Faith. She has a really deep voice for a girl. I wish mine was like that… its kind of whiney. If smoking weren't so gross I'd do it so my voice was like Faith's)

"EW!" Ha! See. Buffy has a squealy voice too! "Gross Faith!"

Faith says the weirdest things sometimes. I don't get most of her jokes but they make Buffy blush loads, which is really funny! Faith said she had a chart to see how much she could make 'B blush'. She's so funny….

Buffy is going on and on and on about… something… huh. Oh! There was something about pie! I like pie. Faith likes pie.

Gah! The door's open! Ok, it's ok, just a little bit open… I'll just hang forward a little bit (cos there is NO WAY I'm putting my foot on the floor!)

"How could a girl refuse that offer?" Wow… sometimes Faith's voice sounds like I imagine Whiskey would sound if it were a sound. Faith eats at our house a lot. I made her breakfast once and she said it was the best breakfast she'd ever had! I like Faith.

"I've still got some of your clothes here…" We do? "I, um, picked them up while you were uh... chained up… at Angel's." Faith was chained up? Why would they chain Faith up? Were they doing more of their weird slayer training?

I saw them training in the library once. They weren't moving though. Just lying on the floor, staring into each other's eyes. Like… hypnotism. Or… meditation. Something like that.

"Don't even ask, don't even _think_, it **never** happened!" What never happened? Buffy is so weird sometimes. Sometimes I think the mailman must have dropped her off on the doorstep one day and my parents (who had been desperately wanting their own daughter, i.e. ME) kept her cos she was so ugly they didn't think an-

OUCH!

Ouh… I think I broke my nose…

Oh great, now Faith's laughing at me.

"Dawn? Are you ok? What are you doing up? Why were you balancing on the railing?"

Because I was eavesdropping on your conversation. Duh.

Buffy is so stupid.

"Let it go B. Daybreak's just gettin' her kicks."

Ha, ha, Faith! See what it feels like to be on the receiving end of Buffy's 'Glare of Doom!'- 50 percent more potent than Willow's Resolve Face. "She's _twelve_, Faith."

I really don't see what my age has to do with this.

"So?" Apparently Faith doesn't either. Great minds…

"Excuse me, I'm old enough to go wherever I want in this house!" Was what I _meant_ to say. Uck! There's blood in my mouth! And it's all coming from my nose!

Buffy looks like she's about to go into full panic mode but fortunately the phone rings.

Whoa! Ok. Faith lifted me off the ground and… onto her back. See, it's cool stuff like that that makes me like Faith so much. She knows that the floor isn't where I want to be (with the possibly hairy demons and what-not). Plus, Buffy _never_ uses her powers for fun!

Like Superman. They are dull superheroes.

Faith is a cool superhero. If Faith had Superman's powers she'd give all the super-villains super-wedgies. And that dumb Kirsty would be _begging_ to be my friend again like she was last year- cos I know _Faith_ and _Faith_ is cool.

Fact.

"Want to go get some ice for that nose, Crack? And maybe some ice-cream" See? Cool.

Buffy turns round from where she's talking on the phone _really, really_ quick! Does she have some kind of late-night-ice-cream phobia? "Whoa, hold on." Guess so. "Giles is on the phone. He wants me to go see him."

"Oh. That's cool." Wait, what? Why is Faith putting me down? What's this? I don't like the floor! Don't put me down! "I guess we can do this another time." Faith's going? Why is Faith going? I don't want Faith to go! Come back Faith! "See you soon, Crack." Is that me? Is that my new nickname? Come back Faith! Come back and give me more nicknames- slash- tokens of affection! Can't you see I'm starved of sane big-sisters?! I need you!

And Buffy… needs to see a therapist… but also _you_!

FAITH!

Stupid, stupid nose!

Buffy! Talk! Now! "Faith, wait." Oh my god, I have psychic powers. " I didn't mean that. You're staying the night, remember?" She is?! God must love me today. And I love him. Thank you God. "I just meant I need you to look after Dawn." So _not_ a baby. "Please. I'll be back soon."

Why is Faith blushing? I didn't even know Faith _could_ blush. Wow. She's _human_. That is even cooler. "Are you blushing?" Why does everything I say sound like I'm a drowning pig? Stupid nose. And also- OW! _Still_ hurts!

Huh, now Faith looks all shifty… "B, I- there's someone I've got to go see…"

"Faith?" Why are they staring at each other _now_? I am in pain people! This is no time for meditating! Ouch. "Please."

…

…

…

I'm sorry. Dawn's brain has officially combusted.

Dawn Marie Summers, 1986-1999.

Buffy is totally giving Faith her 'half-smile™'!

She's _flirting_!

Does Buffy like Faith? Does Faith like Buffy? Can I be a bridesmaid?

I have _so_ got to call Janice- MY SISTER DEVELOPED TASTE!

I don't know what to think! I don't know what to say! I need some ice cream!

"Ice-cream?"

"Oh yeah, sure thing D. You go on in, give me a moment, ok? I have to talk to Buff about some stuff" he he he. Faith is so funny. And clever. And _so_ going to marry Buffy if I get my way.

"Sure. I'll just… slide on that way. Get the ice cream. You two… _talk_. Do lots of _talking_. Good…"

Ah-hah! See, I am so smooth… now Buffy will go see Giles and I can check what Faith looks like when she comes into the kitchen- look for any smudged lipstick, flushed cheeks and… uh… how else do you tell if people have been kissing? I don't know. But I'll check for that too! And then, when I have Faith all relaxed, I'll slide in a few personal questions… really subtle; _'how long are you staying?', 'Buffy's nice, isn't she?', 'what's your view on same-sex relationships?', 'do you ever dream about marrying into our family?', 'can you imagine children in your future?'_. You know, really ingenious (which, by the way, means 'possessing cleverness and imagination'- something Buffy does not).

Then Faith will accidentally tell me everything! Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

"Practising your evil laugh there Kid?" Oops. I guess I did that too loud. And… out loud.

"Hello, Faith. What are your intentions towards Buffy?"

Smooth…


	4. Faith Late Night Phone Calls

"Intentions?" What, like killing? I don't really _intend_ to kill Buffy. Or do anything bad to her really. I didn't intend to ki-

Not going there.

We only walked in a few minutes ago but then B ran off soon as Giles called. She's such a little Watcher's Pet! I bet if he asked her to roll over and play dead she would… actually, he'd probably do that for her… huh, that's kinda kinky.

Or weird. Really, really weird.

"Inten'puns foo Buppy." Dawn's nose has gotta be killin' her but it's really hard to feel sorry for someone when they sound that stupid.

"Ice pack?" Maybe she doesn't need it- she can just use that glare of hers to turn down the temperature by about a thousand degrees. It's not my fault I can't stop laughing! She's just so damn funny. Oh hell! And she's bleedin' everywhere… Joyce is gonna kill me if this stains! Which, of course, it will, "If I let ya have extra ice cream and stay up will you please not rat me out to your ma for lettin' ya bleed over everything?"

Go ahead, think about it. "O-pay." Heh, oh god, my stomach is seriously starting to hurt from trying not to laugh. "Bon't Blarf!" She's eyein' the ice cream like she wants to eat my hand with it.

"Dawnie? How about you just write stuff down ok? Then I won't laugh. Ok?" Now let's see… I know I've got the motel bill on me somewhere… and… eyeliner! Suck on that- smart _and_ resourceful!

This feels like a victory dance time.

I should get a victory dance.

Or stop wishin' I was a dork.

Mainly that.

Wow, Dawnie has real pretty handwriting for a kid. I should get her to teach me to do my 'A's like that. And possibly try to distract her so I can eat some of that ice cream.

'_What are your_ something something _my sister?_'… oh fuck.

What the hell does that even say? For a kid she uses pretty big words. Okay, so she's lookin' all expectant and it's a question so it needs an answer. It's about me and Buffy- how much I like Buffy? Well, sometimes I think she's ok… mainly I just wanna throttle her. "Buffy's ok, I like her."

She looks way too pleased. '_but_ except? _how much do you like her?_' no, '_exactly_'. Hold on a minute here…

"Are you tryin' a ask me if I fancy your sister?"

'_No_'

"Liar." Am I really that obvious so even Dawn can tell? Generally when I want to screw a guy I just tell 'em but B's all… female. And that's just… wrong. Plus, I'm **not** tellin' the kid. "She's got Angel, ok? And I'm not interested in taking his place." There ain't nothing wrong with gettin' off with a friend if you're drunk or some guy's there or you just need to get some but actually dating? That makes you a queer. And it's disgustingly… gross. Maybe not for other people, but it is for me.

'_But what if _Angle _didn't _exit' I'm guessing that's '_Angel_' seein' as there's a capital.

"Look, kid, I don't know about your sister but I'm not… that way. Ok? I don't do girls. It's just not my thing." Sure Buff is pretty cute and I'd give her a roll if she asked but that's it. I've done some pretty wack stuff to get by but that don't mean I liked it. "If Angel left then I'd feel sorry for her, kay? And I'd let Red do the comfort thing then I'd take her out, get her drunk and…" 'find her a stud to play with' but oddly, saying that to a kid just doesn't feel right. I still have some morals.

She looks pretty heartbroken, '_So you don't fancy girls?_' Jesus, do I give off some kinda vibe?

"No." Is she confused? Or… is this about Buffy? "Does… ah… does your sister… _'like'_ me?"

Shit, what am I gonna do if she does? Dawnie looks real scared just writing '_She gave you her _something_ smile_'… huh? 'Flirty' begins with an F… 'sexy'? No, that's too short… 'seductive'? I figure I would have noticed by now…

"Hey, Daybreak, what's that say? I, uh, can't read your writing."

"Spefull." Special? She gave me her 'special' smile?

Is that all? Jeez Dawnie, give me a heart attack why don't ya!? "She does that whenever she wants something Doofus. It doesn't mean she fancies me, she just wanted me to stay and look after you so she could go see Giles."

'_So she doesn't fancy you?_'

"No, hell no! And I don't fancy her, ok?" Well… I do, but only physically, that girl is a pain in the ass! And… uh… she's… huh.

'_But I heard Willow say she saw you dance with a girl_'oh big wow. When did dancing become dating?

So not fair. Trust Buffy to leave me to explain this crap to Dawn. "Look… where I come from, there was this kid- couple a years older than me- who got killed 'cos he whistled at this lady on the street but there was this group of guys and they never saw the woman so they… beat him to death."

'_Be-case_' no… '_because they thought he _whistled?_ at them?_'

"Things are different where I'm from, Ok? You don't just go round accusin' people of being perverts." If you like 'em anyway. "If your sister or- or- _you_ like girls then that's ok for you but it's not for me. Not that I'm like that."

Yeah, good job Faith, confuse her more. Where the hell did this all start anyway? Ugh! I'm so fucking lost in this stupid conversation. I don't care what other people do, I really don't- just as long as they don't do it near me.

Change the subject, change the subject, dear god change the subject. "So how's school? Must suck having to go every day…" Unless you're not fated to die before your twenties and will actually one day have to go out and earn a living… "Sorry, actually, stay in school. It's… good for you…"

She's smirking like I'm a fool. '_You don't have to give me the talk- I like school, it's fun and I get to see my friends. And Kirsty. Which isn't so fun_.' Some little ho's giving my Dawnie trouble? I'll give her trouble! '_It's ok, Faith, you don't have to give the death-glare. She used to be my friend._' Dude, what sort of idiot would stop being friends with Dawn? She's totally cool and fun to talk to. Even though she's like… two and a half years younger than me I guess she's pretty much my best friend here in Helldale.

"She's obviously insane if she doesn't want to be your friend anymore." Insane and tasteless, Dawn has possibly the best way of pulling odd stuff together that you don't think would taste good but it's just amazing! And tasty. Really tasty.

'_Actually, I stopped being her friend. She was spreading all these _rumours?_ about Buffy being a freak.'_ A freak cos she walks round after dark with a sharp pointy stick and her favourite date spot is a cemetery? Yeah, I can see that. Plus she regularly has the tongue of a corpse in her mouth.

I think I need to go wash every part of me Buffy's ever touched.

How can she let him put his cold hands on her? Kiss her lips?

You give bodies the kiss of life- Buffy got it and that's why I'm here. Well, that's why I'm sitting in this kitchen. But why is there some kind of magic 'get out of death free' card for her? Why does drowning have this stupid, stupid way of letting you come back? How is that fair? Why don't other ways of dieing have a clause too? Like getting shot by your pimp…

Or a stake to the heart.

I… I like Buffy but make no mistake I would trade her life for his in an instant.

Dawnie's still gazing at me like I have the answer to the universe. She wants me to make her laugh and tell her everythin's ok. Can I pay someone to do that for me?

"Hey, I'm a freak too and I'm hell cool!"

'_True dat._' This kid cracks me up I swear… Christ it's cold! I'm wearing a jacket and I can still feel my skin goosebumpin'. D's only in pjs so I guess she's tougher than me. Or a typical 'stay downstairs as long as possible' kid.

"Dawnie? You want to go up to your room now?" Duh! Course she'd say no! "I meant, should _we_ go upstairs- with the ice cream o'course. It's cold as f- uh… anything down here and this way at least you can pretend to be asleep when B comes in." Coolest Babysitter Ever.

'_ok_' That is so cute!

"You can stop writing sh- stuff, you can stop writing _stuff_ down now. The blood's stopped." Still looks like she went a couple of rounds with a Daddy Vamp but at least she's not dripping anymore.

"So I'm never going to get you and Buffy together?" Are we still on this? Why would I want to kiss someone with corpse breath?

"You may not have noticed but Buffy and I? Have nothing in common. Other than we're both slayers. And girls. But I'm not sure that last one should be in the positives column."

This is my fault isn't it? She thinks I want the little necro because I'm all flirty with her… but I'm flirty with everyone- even Mrs. S! Without realising it obviously. It's just fun… and it makes people do stuff for you. And Buffy blush.

I should ignore Buffy more. I generally think she sucks (ha!) but she's the other slayer; the older one, the better one. 'Suppose it's a bit of hero worship…

Oh god, I'm never telling anyone that. Ever.

"Hey Dawn?" No! Shut up mouth! Shut up! Tell her something else! "I had a sister once."

Oh fuck.

Dawn's gaping like it never even crossed her mind I might have family. "You did?"

Why does 'shut up' translate in my brain to 'tell an obvious lie'?

"Uh… for a couple of hours anyway…" Fling in a compliment to throw her off the scent! "But if she'd grown up… I kinda hope she would'a turned out like you." I am just too cool.

"Wow Faith, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me." Comparing her to a dead baby? Really? "I wish you were my sister instead of Scruffy."

Heh, 'Scruffy', I love this kid.


End file.
